Devon County Council Unison

Dear Member

Since the start of this year, UNISON has been working on securing a fair pay increase for council and school workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We appreciate that the wait to receive that increase has been challenging, and we want to thank you for your patience as we work to conclude this.

Following the results of this year’s ballot, UNISON’s NJC Committee (our national committee overseeing our work on NJC pay) decided not to take industrial action. Since then, UNISON’s clear position has been to accept the pay offer the local government employers submitted so that council and school workers receive their overdue pay increase as soon as possible, and then build a strong pay campaign for 2024. The offer for 2023 was a consolidated, flat rate increase of £1,925 (pro rata'd for part-time and term time only staff). Given the cost-of-living crisis and its particular impact on low paid staff, we want to do all we can to support our members and get them more money in their pockets.

UNISON met with the other trade unions (Unite and GMB) earlier this week, and we did our best to encourage a resolution to the 2023 pay dispute – emphasising the need for members to receive their pay rise as soon as possible. Ultimately, the outcome of the meeting was to reconvene in late October, after the current GMB industrial action ballot closes. Unite are currently taking industrial action in some local authorities. Since the process cannot move forward unless the NJC trade union side has reached an agreement, we cannot proceed until this is the case.

We will continue to keep you informed as we try to get the pay dispute settled. In the meantime, please be assured that we will keep fighting for our members to get their pay increase as quickly as possible.

Thank you,